Hassaku Marmalade 八朔マーマレード

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This is the marmalade I made from the hassaku oranges I wrote about yesterday. I like marmalade for not only its sour, bitter, and sweet taste but also the color!! 

Hassaku orange marmalade 八朔ジャム

Don't Throw Away the Hassaku Oranges! 八朔捨てないで！

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These're hassaku oranges harvested this year. And there's a story about them. 

In my neighborhood, there are two places where the land owners grow the oranges. They grow the oranges not for sale, which means no pesticides on them. As it's almost impossible to get fruits with no pesticides applied these days, I called one of the places, a hospital, to ask if I could get several of them. Their answer was no. They said they would make jam for their patients. So, I contacted the other place, i.e., an office building. The staff of the property manager were surprised but said "Okay!" That was about a month ago. 

Then, today, knowing it was time to harvest, I went there and got nine hassaku oranges and have already started making jam from five of them. (That's why the pictures are of only four oranges.)  

Sadly, however, one of the staff said that this was only this year and that they won't be able to do the same next year. He said that the oranges weren't theirs but the property owner's and the owner or a real estate investment trust didn't like the idea of giving the oranges to anyone. I see that the company wants to take no risk and has chosen to let the fruits fall from the tree and rot on the ground. But it's just mottainai, isn't it? 

I've been thinking of calling next year the property owner to negotiate with them to make jam again😝!! For the definition and usage of "mottainai," read this post. 

Hassaku oranges 八朔

Too Many Camellias? 山茶花多過ぎ？

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Are these too many? They're Camellia sasanqua or more commonly known as Japanese camellias. The Camellia trees in my neighborhood are now in full bloom and this tree has too many flowers!  

Camellia sasanqua 山茶花

From below 下から

Cerasus Subhirtella (Winter Cherry) is in Full Bloom🌸 冬桜が満開🌸

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

Almost all the flowers are gone but these October or winter cherry blossoms in my neighborhood. They're not as gorgeous as the other types of cherry blossoms below, but are so beautiful against the blue winter sky. If you're interested in more gorgeous cherry blossoms, read the following posts!

• Yoshino cherry (Prunus x yedoensis)
• Taiwan cherry, Formosan cherry or bellflower cherry (Prunus campanulata)
• Oshima cherry (Prunus speciosa) - white Oshima; pink Oshima
• Ichiyo cherry (Prunus lannesiana 'Hisakura') - Oshima cherry's kid
• Yoko cherry (Prunus campanulata 'Yoko')
• Nanking cherry (Prunus tomentosa)
• Weeping Yoshino cherry (Prunus lannesiana Wilson 'Sendai Shidare')
• Fugenzo cherry (Cerasus sato-zakura group ‘albo-rosea’ Makino)
• Yellow Cherry (Cerasus sato-zakura group 'Gioiko' Koidz)
• Prunus Lannesiana 'Sekiyama' (Kanzan Cherry)
• Cerasus Jamasakura (Mountain Cherry)

Cerasus subhirtella 冬桜

October cherry 十月桜

Baby Achenes of Clematis Terniflora (Sweet Autumn Clematis) 仙人草（センニンソウ）の赤ちゃん痩果

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Do you know what they are? If not, see the third photo😀. 

These are achenes of Clematis terniflora or sweet autumn clematis. I saw the achenes surrounded by feather like white long tails in early November (after which its Japanese name is given), but these baby achenes are so cute! Its Japanese name is "sennin so (meaning hermit plant)," given after a hermit's beard-like long white tails. If you're interested in such beard-like long white tails, read this post. 

The third photo was taken on the same day. Clematis are supposed to flower from July to September, but these clematis have flowers and achenes both at the same time.   

Achenes of Clematis terniflora 仙人草の痩果

Fall Foliage with Still Green Leaves 緑と赤の秋

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This is a Japanese maple tree at Hibiya Park, Tokyo. Tree leaves have turned red and yellow everywhere but the combination of red and still green leaves is unusual. The temperature has dropped across Japan, however. The Japanese autumn leaves season will soon be over.   

A Japanese maple tree　紅葉

White Camellia Sasanqua (Japanese Camellia) 白い山茶花

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These are Camellia sasanqua or more commonly known as Japanese camellia at Atago Jinja shrine. Japanese camellias are in bloom in many places in Tokyo, including these white ones, and the bright pink and white and pink marble ones in my neighborhood.

Red Camellia sasanqua flowers mean "modesty" and "you're the most beautiful." The pink ones represent "eternal love" and the white ones are a symbol of "charming" and "you reject my love."

White Camellia sasanqua 白い山茶花

White Japanese camellia 白いサザンカ

Ardisia Crenata (Coral Berry) 万両（マンリョウ）

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These are fruits of Ardisia crenata or more commonly known as coral berry at Atago Jinja shrine, Tokyo. The berries can be seen in many places in Tokyo now but (I think) these ones are bigger than usual. 

The plant is called "10,000 ryo" in Japanese. The term "ryo" is a unit of weight or currency used by Japan and several other Asian countries, and based on the value of rice, one ryo is worth about 1,500 dollars.

Japan has not only manryo or 10,000 ryo, but also 1,000 ryo (senryo), 100 ryo (hyakuryo), and 10 ryo (juryo).

Ardisia crenata 万両

Pittosporum Tobira (Japanese cheesewood) 扉（トベラ）

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Fruits of Pittosporum tobira or more commonly known as Japanese cheesewood have started to split! The red seeds in cream white fruits among deep green leaves create a very beautiful color contrast, which I look forward to seeing every winter.

The plant's name contains the term "tobira" or a Japanese word meaning "door" because a sprig of Japanese cheesewood (or holly) was (and still is by some people) hung on the door together with a baked sardine head on the day of setsubun, that is, February 3 or 4 or the date before the beginning of spring on the lunisolar calendar, to expel evil spirits.  

 

Japanese cheesewood トベラ

Pittosporum tobira 扉

Clematis Terniflora (Sweet Autumn Clematis) 仙人草（センニンソウ）

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These are flowers of Clematis terniflora or sweet autumn clematis. The plant usually flowers from July to September and I saw its achenes surrounded by feather like white long tails in another place early this month. So, why are these flowers still in full bloom? This should be another proof of global warming.

Clematis terniflora 仙人草

Sweet autumn clematis センニンソウ

Triadica Sebifera (Chinese Tallow) 南京櫨（ナンキンハゼ）

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What beautiful shades of red, yellow, and green! These are leaves of Triadica sebifera or commonly called Chinese tallow and the white fruits among them. Chinese tallow leaves are beautiful green in early summer, changing like this in autumn.   

Triadica sebifera 南京櫨

And Then There Were None - London Plane そして何もいなくなった - 紅葉葉鈴懸の木

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It was full of leaves and fruits (and stink bugs😁) in early October (2nd photo), but now it's like this... This is Platanus × acerifolia or more commonly known as a London plane tree, i.e., a hybrid of oriental plane and American sycamore. I've been seeing the tree for the last two months, but the observation is almost over. 

A fruit of Platanus × acerifolia 紅葉葉鈴懸の果実

Osmanthus Fragrans (Sweet Osmanthus) 銀木犀（ギンモクセイ）

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These are flowers of Osmanthus fragrans, more commonly known as sweet osmanthus. They often produce orange flowers, but white ones are also tiny, fragrant (though less than the orange ones), and hardy!! The tree must have been cut down (see the 2nd photo), but has survived and produced these flowers. 

In Japan, sweet osmanthus with white flowers is called "silver" sweet osmanthus while those with orange flowers "golden" sweet osmanthus.   

Osmanthus fragrans 銀木犀

Solanum Nigrum (Black Nightshade) After the Rain 雨上がりの犬酸漿（イヌホオズキ）

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These are flowers and fruits of Solanum nigrum or black nightshade. All of them were facing downward because of the rain yesterday!

Flowers and fruits of Solanum nigrum facing downward 犬酸漿の花と実

Cymbalaria Muralis (Kenilworth Ivy) 蔦葉海蘭（ツタバウンラン）

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These are flowers of Cymbalaria muralis or more commonly ivy-leaved toadflax or Kenilworth ivy. They usually flower from May to September, but according to one Japanese website, the plant flowers twice a year. It first flowers from April to June, then the part above the ground dies during summer, but it starts to sprout again from October to November, producing such beautiful flowers!   

I saw white ivy-leaved toadflax in September. It might be too hot for the toadflax to produce purple flowers. 

Cymbalaria muralis 蔦葉海蘭

Kenilworth ivy ツタバウンラン

Camellia Sasanqua (Sasanqua Camellia) 山茶花（サザンカ）

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These are Camellia sasanqua or more commonly sasanqua camellia in my neighborhood. A week ago, I wrote about white and pink marble sasanqua. The camellia season has come.

Sasanqua camellia flowers resemble those of Japanese camellia, but their blooming season and fruits are completely different. Sasanqua camellia starts to flower earlier, i.e., from October, and the fruits are hairy while Japanese camellia starting to flower from December and the fruits being bigger with no hair. Read this post to see the different fruits! 

Camellia sasanqua 山茶花

We Love to Bask in the Sun! 日向ぼっこ大好き！

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Not only humans but also bugs love to bask in the sun, like this ladybug and the dragonfly (2nd photo)! I usually take a walk in the early morning before dawn, but went out at around 9 a.m. today to have a flu shot. I hate shots but was lucky to see them!  

It didn't move an inch 微動だにせず

Unusual to see dragonflies in November in Japan! 11月のトンボは珍しいです

Cerasus Subhirtella (October Cherry) is Still in Bloom 十月桜はまだ咲いている

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These are October or winter cherry blossoms (and the morning Moon in the 1st photo). They're in bloom modestly. I've been observing the blossoms for the last three years, so I can say that they're actually now in FULL bloom. There are many types of cherry trees and their ways of blooming varies. If you're interested in other cherry blossoms, which are more gorgeous, read the following posts! 

• Yoshino cherry (prunus x yedoensis)
• Taiwan cherry, Formosan cherry or bellflower cherry (prunus campanulata)
• Oshima cherry (prunus speciosa) - white Oshima; pink Oshima
• Ichiyo cherry (prunus lannesiana 'Hisakura') - Oshima cherry's kid
• Yoko cherry (prunus campanulata 'Yoko')
• Nanking cherry (prunus tomentosa)
• Weeping Yoshino cherry (prunus lannesiana Wilson 'Sendai Shidare')
• Fugenzo cherry (cerasus sato-zakura group ‘albo-rosea’ Makino)
• Yellow Cherry (cerasus sato-zakura group 'Gioiko' Koidz)
• Prunus Lannesiana 'Sekiyama' (Kanzan Cherry)
• Cerasus Jamasakura (Mountain Cherry)

Cerasus subhirtella and the morning Moon　十月桜と朝の月

Dendropanax Trifidus 隠れ蓑（カクレミノ）

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These are fruits of Dendropanax trifidus. Small, whitish green, reddish purple and dark purple fruits are so pretty. But there is another reason I like the tree. The shape of its leaves changes from triple lobed to ovate as they grow (3rd photo)! 

Dendropanax trifidus　隠れ蓑

Euscaphis Japonica (Korean Sweetheart Tree) 権萃（ゴンズイ）

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These are fruits of Euscaphis japonica, commonly called Korean sweetheart tree, at the Institute for Nature Study, i.e., a park or forest in the heart of Central Tokyo. The contrast between the bright red fruits and the black seeds against the green leaves and the blue sky was so beautiful. 

The Korean sweetheart tree is said to have been named after "gonzui" in Japanese after another "gonzui," Plotosus japonicus or Japanese eeltail catfish. 

Euscaphis japonica 権萃

Korean sweetheart tree ゴンズイ

Camellia Sasanqua (Sasanqua Camellia) 山茶花（サザンカ）

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These are Camellia sasanqua or more commonly sasanqua camellia at the South Garden of the Diet Front Park in the Chiyoda ward, Tokyo. Sasanqua camellia's petals are soft, so turn brown quickly, but these are still pure white with pink edges, creating a beautiful contrast with yellow stamens.

Camellia sasanqua 山茶花 

Sasanqua camellia サザンカ

Autumn Maple Leaves - Color, Color, Color! 紅葉 - 色、色、色！

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Japan has many famous places for beautiful autumn leaves and you can enjoy them even in Tokyo like those in these photos taken in my neighborhood! A tip for enjoying fall leaves is to see them from below!! 

Autumn leaves from below 紅葉を下から

Teeny Weeny Green and Purple Bugs on Yellow Spray Mums 黄色のスプレー菊とちっちゃい虫たち

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Almost all flowers in my neighborhood are gone but these yellow spray chrysanthemums (or spray mums) and teeny weeny green and purple bugs!  

A green bug a spray mum スプレー菊とちっちゃい虫

Spray chrysanthemums (spray mums) スプレーマム（スプレー菊）

Clematis Terniflora (Sweet Autumn Clematis) 仙人草（センニンソウ）

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These are achenes of Clematis terniflora or sweet autumn clematis surrounded by feather like white long tails at the Institute for Nature Study, i.e., a park or forest in the heart of Central Tokyo. I saw the flowers in October, but didn't realize that these achenes were the fruits of the same plant at first. 

Its Japanese name is "sennin so (meaning hermit plant)," given after such hermit's beard-like long white tails.

Clematis terniflora 仙人草

Sweet autumn clematis センニンソウ

Pseudozizeeria Maha (Pale Grass Blue) is Blue! 大和小灰蝶（ヤマトシジミ）は青かった！

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This is Pseudozizeeria maha or a pale grass blue butterfly. I took pictures of, and wrote about, the butterfly in late October but at that time I didn't know how beautiful the butterfly is because its wings were closed and the outside of the wings was gray. Look at this! It's (or more specifically, the inside of the wings is) so beautiful! Now I see why they're called pale grass "blue" (though it's more like blue gray!) and regret having left my camera at home....

Pseudozizeeria maha 大和小灰蝶

Trigonotis Peduncularis (Cucumber Herb) 胡瓜草（キュウリグサ）

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Following the post about henbit deadnettle yesterday, this post is also about a plant in bloom confused by the recent spring-like weather, Trigonotis peduncularis or cucumber herb. The flowers are so tiny, 0.2 - 0.3 cm in diameter. I was happy to see them, but a bit worried if they would survive this winter...  

Trigonotis peduncularis 胡瓜草

Cucumber herb キュウリグサ

Lamium Amplexicaule (Henbit Deadnettle) 仏の座（ホトケノザ）

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These are Lamium amplexicaule, commonly known as henbit deadnettle. They should flower in spring, but things change and so does the flower season. Somei Yoshino cherry trees sprouted blossoms last week across Japan because of the recent spring-like weather. No one can blame this henbit deadnettle for being confused😆.

 

Lamium amplexicaule 仏の座

Henbit deadnettle ホトケノザ

Kadsura Japonica (Kadsura Vine) 実葛（サネカズラ）

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These are fruits of Kadsura japonica, commonly known as the kadsura vine at the Institute for Nature Study, i.e., a park or forest in the heart of Central Tokyo. 

They're edible but tasteless and used to make wine and hair oil in Japan. (I've never tried either of them.)

As a used-to-be very familiar plant for Japanese people, Kadsura vine has been one of the most popular subjects in Japanese literature, dating back to Kojiki or the earliest account of Japanese mythology and early history compiled in the 8th century.

Kadsura japonica 実葛

Ripe and unripe fruits 熟した実と青い実

Callicarpa Japonica (Japanese Beautyberry) 紫式部（ムラサキシキブ）

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These are drupes of Callicarpa japonica or more commonly known as Japanese beautyberry at the Institute for Nature Study, i.e., a park or forest in the heart of Central Tokyo. These drupes resemble those of Callicarpa dichotoma or early amethyst very much, but their tree height differs. The tree of Callicarpa japonica can grow as tall as 3 meters while the Callicarpa dichotoma is just 0.3 to 1 meter tall. 

There are many red fruits and berries but such bright purple berries are rare.  

Callicarpa japonica 紫式部

Japanese beautyberry ムラサキシキブ

Trichosanthes Cucumeroides (Japanese Snake Gourd) 烏瓜（カラスウリ）

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These are fruits of Trichosanthes cucumeroides or Japanese snake gourd at the Institute for Nature Study, i.e., a park or forest in the heart of Central Tokyo. I saw flowers of another gourd Trichosanthes kirilowii or Chinese cucumber in my neighborhood in June this year but that cucumber was entirely got rid of several weeks later, so these Japanese snake gourds half satisfied my curiosity about what Chinese cucumbers look like. 

Fruits of the Chinese cucumber and the Japanese snake gourd look like each other except that those of the former are red or orange (like those in these pictures) while those of the latter being yellow.  

I wanted to take a closer look at them, but they were too high up on the tree...

Trichosanthes cucumeroides 烏瓜

Solanum Nigrum (Black Nightshade) 犬酸漿（イヌホオズキ）

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These are flowers of Solanum nigrum or black nightshade. The flower is so tiny, i.e., less than 1 cm in diameter, and pretty from not only the front but the side😊! 

The black nightshade is called in Japanese "stupid eggplant" because it's useless, i.e., poisonous, so inedible. They may be useless tangibly, but are worthwhile for me by making me smile.    

Solanum nigrum 犬酸漿

Black nightshade イヌホオズキ